The Schleck Bros

[BroDeal]

Should Riis split the Schleck brothers and have one (Andy) go for the Tour and one (Frank) go for the Giro? Frank is saying he thinks he can win the Tour this year; but, other than misfortune happening to Andy, is there any way he can realisticly beat his brother? Andy climbs better. He time trials better. He should improve more this year.

 

[craig1985]

I would say he (Frank) would have a decent shot this year, considering Di Luca is banned, Contador, Menchov, are not riding, so it would be between him, Basso, Pellizotti, Evans, and Sastre.

 

[Inner Peace]

Absolutely Frank should do the Giro in 2010...

Parcours are perfect for him...

And then the role will be clear in the Tour that he is helper to little bro...

 

[blaxland]

Absolutely Frank should do the Giro in 2010...

Parcours are perfect for him...

And then the role will be clear in the Tour that he is helper to little bro...

Agreed but Frank will need Andys help in the giro and i think 2 Gts this year might be to much for Andy.(considering he is Targeting the Ardennes classics )but Frank could podium.

 

[zapata]

Agreed but Frank will need Andys help in the giro and i think 2 Gts this year might be to much for Andy.(considering he is Targeting the Ardennes classics )but Frank could podium.

I don't see Frank doing anything in a grand tour, GC-wise. Maybe a stage, and decent results in the ardennes. I think I read that Andy has decided that Frank shall win Liege this year, while he himself will take Amstel? Something like that. We'll see; regardless, I think Frank has a better shot at Liege than the Giro.

 

[issoisso]

Absolutely, Frank should aim for the Giro instead, no doubt about it.

Absolutely, the brothers do not care for anything other than the Ardennes and the Tour de France, no doubt about it.

If Frank isn't riding the most perfect Giro route for him ever, then he won't ever ride it unless he's forced to.

 

[BroDeal]

Absolutely, Frank should aim for the Giro instead, no doubt about it.

Absolutely, the brothers do not care for anything other than the Ardennes and the Tour de France, no doubt about it.

If Frank isn't riding the most perfect Giro route for him ever, then he won't ever ride it unless he's forced to.

F. Schleck strikes me as a rider who has a strong possibility of winning the Vuelta or Giro but will throw away chances by quixotically chasing the Tour--like Evans.

 

[Bala Verde]

I would say he (Frank) would have a decent shot this year, considering Di Luca is banned, Contador, Menchov, are not riding, so it would be between him, Basso, Pellizotti, Evans, and Sastre.

With those contenders, the Giro still isn't a slam dunk for Frank. On the other hand, if Evans and Sastre do the Giro only as a 'warm-up' for the Tour, his chances increase quite a bit.

IMO, a Giro win is better than a TdF top 5. I even dare to say that it's the best possible result after winning the TdF (that means, it's even better than taking 2nd in the TdF).

By all means, he should try. With his style and abilities, he would add to the Giro spectacle. But perhaps the presence of his brother Andy and the strong field of competitors in the TdF are the underlying reasons that will tip the balance in favour of the TdF.

 

[karlboss]

Frank will never do anything in a GT? this year, skipping the TTT he would have been 3rd, a guy that strong has the ability to take the Giro or Vuelta. All courses are for climbers this year, so I'd love to see him try. I think the family goal is the tour, and the schleck's won't do anything to risk it, like pushing for the overall at the giro. If they did, I'd see it as acknowledgement that Andy doesn't have the confidence to take on contador at the tour.

 

[BroDeal]

Frank will never do anything in a GT? this year, skipping the TTT he would have been 3rd, a guy that strong has the ability to take the Giro or Vuelta. All courses are for climbers this year, so I'd love to see him try. I think the family goal is the tour, and the schleck's won't do anything to risk it, like pushing for the overall at the giro. If they did, I'd see it as acknowledgement that Andy doesn't have the confidence to take on contador at the tour.

Frank should go to the Giro without Andy. He should then support Andy at the Tour. Frank would have a good chance of winning a GT. Andy would arrive at the Tour fresh.

If Frank could win the Giro, it could not hurt the search for a new team sponsor.

 

[zapata]

Frank will never do anything in a GT? this year, skipping the TTT he would have been 3rd, a guy that strong has the ability to take the Giro or Vuelta. All courses are for climbers this year, so I'd love to see him try. I think the family goal is the tour, and the schleck's won't do anything to risk it, like pushing for the overall at the giro. If they did, I'd see it as acknowledgement that Andy doesn't have the confidence to take on contador at the tour.

I know, but he seems, what's the word? fragile? The kind of rider that might be third at the tour without trying, when in support of someone else, but would crack and finish 20th if he was the designated leader?

I don't know, this is just my impression of him, but I've got a feeling that if he was ever captain, he would find some way of losing time. Admittedly, this is my very subjective impression, but to me he really doesn't look like a Champion. Like Leipheimer; physical talent present, but not the psyche to win.

 

[Willy_Voet]

They both should attempt the double..double cheese burger with bacon that is. They probably don't break 100 kg combined. A little extra round the midsection will help them on windy stages.

 

[nccyclist]

It would be great to see Frank in a tour as his team leader to see how he can do. For him to have a real chance though his team would need to make sure they sent a strong enough supporting cast to give him that chance. Then he could head to the Tour as a support rider for Andy, because with the right support Andy will be a very strong contender for the TDF win. Contador is strong, but as he has done so many times, Vino will cause to much conflict for the team to ride strong as a team. This could be Andy's year! Brother Frank would be an important part of that to happen.

 

[karlboss]

Frank should go to the Giro without Andy. He should then support Andy at the Tour. Frank would have a good chance of winning a GT. Andy would arrive at the Tour fresh.

If Frank could win the Giro, it could not hurt the search for a new team sponsor.

I'm still thinking that Frank needs to be 100% for the tour and the giro will put that at risk. Hence no 100% effort in giro for frank, with or without andy

 

[pmcg76]

I think this year is the best chance for anybody to topple Contador, with Lance and his goon's all shooting for AC, Liquigas with a loaded team and Saxo Bank with a loaded team, I feel there is more possibilities this year than in future seasons. I am sure AC will get himself a stronger team again next season as well. All or nothing this year. Next season pack Frank of to aim at another GT.

 

[mherm79]

I think this year is the best chance for anybody to topple Contador, with Lance and his goon's all shooting for AC, Liquigas with a loaded team and Saxo Bank with a loaded team, I feel there is more possibilities this year than in future seasons. I am sure AC will get himself a stronger team again next season as well. All or nothing this year. Next season pack Frank of to aim at another GT.

++1 - Riis will use the Sheclks for a tag team again in the TDF. It gives them options in wk 3 and I think they will need it to topple AC. IMO, best bet against AC is to put him under pressure and force him to ride into the red, hoping he cracks at some point.

Frank can go for the Giro when AS can match AC in TT's.

 

[BroDeal]

Frank can go for the Giro when AS can match AC in TT's.

That is never then. AS will never be the time trialer that AC is.

 

[mherm79]

That is never then. AS will never be the time trialer that AC is.

you'd think so, but then again AC made some major gains in a season or two. think 07 and the time he lost to Cadel.

 

[BroDeal]

you'd think so, but then again AC made some major gains in a season or two. think 07 and the time he lost to Cadel.

Contador was a good time trialist from the very beginning. He has just gotten better and better.

 

[St. Elia]

I'm still thinking that Frank needs to be 100% for the tour and the giro will put that at risk. Hence no 100% effort in giro for frank, with or without andy

+1

Andy is one of the few people that can "beat" contador
no way are they going to risk it with frank at the giro

 

[craig1985]

Contador was a good time trialist from the very beginning. He has just gotten better and better.

It's funny how the fact that Contador has been his countries u23 TT Champ and in his first year as a professional, he won a TT at the Tour of Poland.

 

[Anonymous]

They're still fairly young, so plenty of time to take on the Giro etc. It looks to me like the main objective is for A to win the Tour. As soon as that happens we might see F branching out to (eg) the Giro for a bit of glory himself.

 

[ErmOkk]

I think Riis won't be too happy if Frank rides the Giro to win, because he probably really badly wants to beat AC, and with too strong guys in the team he surely can make the spaniard suffer, like no other team is going to be able to.

 

[42x16ss]

I think Riis won't be too happy if Frank rides the Giro to win, because he probably really badly wants to beat AC, and with two strong guys in the team he surely can make the spaniard suffer, like no other team is going to be able to.

I also suspect that Riis is worried about Liquigas - or more specifically Nibali. Nibali is younger than Andy S and if Nibali improves a similar amount to what he did last year then he will be gunning for the podium, especially with the support cast he will have for the TdF.

Riis won't risk his best mountain domestique on the Giro this year, not with the level of competition that will be at the tour.

 

[Von Mises]

Contador was a good time trialist from the very beginning. He has just gotten better and better.

In 2009 final TT Andy Schleck lost to the winner (Contador) less than Contador lost to the winner (Leipheimer) of 2007 TT.